Combined photographic printer and enlarger



June 23, 1925. Ls iibls c. A. LARE COMBINED PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER AND ENLARGER Filed Match 5, 1923 3 SheetsSheet l gluuanfot June 23, 1925.

C.A.LARE

(IDIBINBD PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER AND ENLARGER Filed March 5, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 23, 1925. 1,543,015

C. A. LARE COMBINED PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER AND ENLARGER Filed March 5, 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 2 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. LARE, O'F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 622,945.

To all whom it may concern:

0 it known that I, CHARLES A. LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at altimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Photogra hic Printers and Enlargers, of which the ollowin is a specification, reference being had to tie accompanying drawings.

T is invention relates to improvements in combined enlarging, reducing and copying cameras.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel and im roved cam mechanism for use in control ing the movements of the easel and lens of the camera whereby upon the rotation of the shaft continuously in one direction the camera may be shifted from a position giving maximum enlargement to a position giving maximum reduction of which the machine is capable, and whereby the easel is maintained at the proper focusing point in relation to the ens of the camera at all points during its travel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including means for indicating the reproduction point of the camera, that 18 to say, the position of the lens and easel wherein the negative being rinted or reproduced is exactly duplicated as to size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily and cheaply produced and which may be employed in cameras re ardless of the particular construction 0 the light box thereof.

These and other objects I attain bv the structure shown in the accompan ing rawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a referred embodiment of my invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation showing avertical camera constructed in accordance with my invention, parts of the light box being broken away;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the cam era shogyn in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a reduced side elevation show ing the camera employed horizontally;

Figure 4 is a partinly diagrammatic view slunring the movement of the easel and lens is secured one end of a spring 21, the

from maximum enlargement to minimum reduction;

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the movement from reproducing point to minimum reduction;

Figure 6 is a fragmentar Y mg the springs employed fl) slides;

Figure 7 is a sectional mounting of the cams and igure 8 is a section on ure 7;

Figure 9 is a view of the clamp of the cam control shaft; and

Figure 10 is a detailed wiew of the spring employed. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates s aced side members which form the principa supports for the camera. Where the camera is employed vertically these side elevation showr projecting the view showing the springs; line 8-8 of Figmembers will have attached thereto at the lower ends thereof bracing legs 11 extending beneath the light box hereinafter more particularly described. \Vhere the camera is employed orizontally theside members will be provided with the legs 11 at opposite ends thereof to support the same.

Secured to the side members and extending inwardly therefrom are a pair of guide rails 12, the adjacent faces of which are spaced from one another and provided with facing strips 13 havin rojecting outwardly therefrom ribs 14. ounted between the adjacent faces of the guide rails12 is an easel slide 15 provided at each side thereof adjacent its top and bottom with a rotatably mounted grooved roller 16 receiving in the groove thereof the ribs 14 of the strips The easel slide 15 forms a support for an easel 17 having clips 18, by means of which the sensitized paper may be held thereon in the usual manner. 1

Likewise secured to the side members 10 and having their lower ends arranged above the guide rails 12 are a similar pair of guide rails 19, adjacent faces of the rails 12 and 19 being spaced. Between the rails 19 is mounted in a manner similar to the mounting of the easel slide 15 a lens plate slide 20 similar to the slide 15. To each of the guide rails 12 adjacent the lower end thereof 7 springs boingso connected that they nornuilly extend in a direction away from one another and away from the space between the guide rails. Each sprin 21 is formed from a single strip of spring wire bent to form a pair of spaced loops 22 and 23, one loop 22 being arranged immediately adjacent the attaching plate 24, by means of which an end of the spring is attached to its associated guide rail 12. These springs are then up wardly and inwardly bent and the free ends thereof attached to a common point 25 upon the slide 15.

In operation, as the slide 15 1S moved from its u permost position, the initial movement of the spring is to bend the same about the loop 23 which is arranged next adjacent the end attached to the slide, then to bend the springs 21 about the loop 22 until the end of the spring attached to the guide comes in ap roximate alignment with the point of attac ment represented b Y the plates 24, after which all subsequent ending movement of the springs will be about the loop 22. It will be obvious that as the bendin movement of the loop 23 continues the spring will arrive at a point where this loop is so positioned that its tendency to ali n the associated straight portions 0 the spring will result in a tendency to movethe slide in a direction transverse to the guides with the result that no pressure is exerted by that portion of the spring containing the loop 23 to shift the slide upwardly. At this time the loop 22 is being tensioned and this tension acts to force the slide upwardly.

F It will also be obvious that as the tendency of the loop 23 to force the slide upwardly decreases the tendency of the loop 22 to force the slide upwar ly increases with the result that the slide is forced upwardly with a substantially uniform pressure throughout the limits of its travel. The springs 21 act to shift the slide 15 upwardly and to move the easel toward the lens plate 19. The guide rails 19 and lens plate slide 20 are similarly equipped with the springs 21, the springs being positioned to constantly urge the slide toward the light box and accordingly away from the easel 15.

\otatably mounted perpendicularly as regards the slides 15 and 20 and adjacent the ends of the guide rails 12 and 19 toward which the springs 21 urge the slides 15 and 20 is a shaft 26 which is provided intermediate the pairs of guide rails with a pair of cams 27 and 28. Each slide 15 and 20 has secured thereto a roller,v these rollers being designated at 15 and 20 respectively and being maintained in engagement with the cams 28 and 27. The cam 27 which coacts with the roller of the lens plate 10 has its working face in the form of a spiral preferably constructed so as to move the lens plate slide and accordingly the lens plate toward the easel 17 at a fixed rate of speed upon a fixed rotation of the shaft 26 or to permit this slide to be moved away from the easel by its springs 21 at such fixed rate of speed. The cam 27 has its working face constructed to maintain the easel 17 constantly at the focus of the lens 10 during the travel thereof and at the same time so osition the easel during this travel that while the lens plate and its slide are moving from the lowermost point of their travel to the hi hest point thereof, the easel is moved initia ly toward the lens plate at a speed less than the speed of movement of the lens plate toward the axis of the cam and subsequently moved away from the lens plate and the axis of the cam. During the initial travel of the easel the reducing features are provided, while during the last portion thereof the enlarging. features are provided.

To this end the cam 28 is formed with its working face in two parts 28 and 28, these working faces being joined at a point 30 in the form of a cove which, when engaged by the roller 15, positions the cascl with relation to the lens plate in such manner that a direct print result is obtained. In other words, the print obtained will be of the same size as the negative employed. From this cove 30 the working face on that portion thereof, designated at 28, is in the form of an increasing spiral, and similarly the-working face 28 is in the form of an increasing spiral so that with the roller positioned at the cove 3O regardless of the direction of rotation of the cam 28, the roller 15 and easel slide will be moved away from the center of the cam and accordingly away from the lens plate P. I However, when the roller 15 is engaged in the cove 30, if the cam 28 be rotated in a direction to cause this roller and its slide to be moved downwardly by the cam faces 28*, the cam 27 is likewise rotated in a direction to force the slide 20 downwardly, and since the cam 27 has its face more abrupt than the face 28 of the cam 28, the lens plate will approach the easel, with the result that the image upon the easel from the lens is reduced.

If the rotation of the cams 27 and 28 be in the opposite direction, the slide 20 is elevated by its springs, whereas the slide 15 is depressed against the action of its springs with the result that the easel and lens late separate and the image is enlarger. The contour of the faces 28* and 28 of the cam 28 will, of course, be largely governed by the lens en'iployed at the lens plate P and must be cut to maintain the easel 17 at the proper focal point of the lens at all points of travel of the easel 1 and lens.

As a means of rotating the shaft 26. l provide upon the inner end of the shaft a large gear 31 which is engaged by a pinion carried by a transversely extending shaft 3 which mayberotatabl mounted in the light accordingly do not limit myself to such box if so desired. The outer end of this s ecific structure except as, hereinafter shaft is provided with an o crating crank c aimed.

34 and exteriorly of the lig t. box a bear- I claim a 5 ing is provided so constructed that by 1. A photographic printing apparatus intightening the retaining screws 36 thereof eluding a source of light, a lens, means for the cap of the hearing may be brought into supporting the element to be printed interbinding engagement with the shaft to fricmediate the lens and light, an easel, shifttionally resist rotation of the same, it be-- able supports for said lens and easel, a pair 1 ing understood that the pressure of the of cams, contact members carried by said springs forcing the slides upwardl and the easel and lens supports each engaging one engagement of the rollers of the s ides with of said cams, means for maintaining the the cams will have a tendency to rotate the contact elements in engagement with the shaft unless some such means is provided, cams, and means for simultaneously rotat- J although such tendency is to a great extent ing said cams to thereby shift the easel and reduced by the provision of the large gear ob ect support, the workin face of the cam upon the shaft 26 and the pinion upon the' shifting said lens support eing constructed shaft 32 to engage the same. It is here in the form of a spiral, the working face pointed out that the cove 30 of the cam of the cam operating the easel-being formed 2 28 will act. substantially as a stop advising in two joined sections, each of said sections the operator that the camera is positioned being in the form of an increasing spiral for straight reproduction when engaged by from the junction of the sections. its roller, movement of the shaft in either 2. A. photographic printing apparatus indirection being resisted. cluding a source of light, a lens, means for 2 In order to prevent overrunning of the supporting the element to beprinted intercams and a rotation of the shaft 33 in opmediate the lens and light, an easel, shiftposition directions be postively limited, I able supports for said lens and easel, a pair provide upon each of the cams at the exof cams, a contact member carried by each tremitv of the working face thereof a hookof said supports engaging one of said cams,

. shape portion 37 engaging about the roller means for maintaing the contact elements when the cam arrives at the end of its workin engagement with the cams, and means for ing face. The light box is secured to the simultaneously rotating said cams to theresupports 10 in any suitable manner and by shift the easel and ob]ect support, the may be constructed of any suitable mater1- working face of the cam being constructed 35 a1, one wall of the light box forming a in the form of a spiral, the workin face 190 bellows panel 38, to which is attached a of the cam o crating the easel being f drmed bellows 39 connecting the light box and the in two joinc sections, each of said sections lens. At the opposite wall of the light box being in the form of an increasing spiral from the bellows panel there is a lighting from the junction of the sections, the last a 40 element 40, which may be of any desired type. named cam being provided at the junction It will be seen from the foregoing that a of the sections with a cove in which the consingle operating mechanism controls the fotact member of the easel support is encusing and determines the size of the resultgaged when the lens is focused to reproduce ing print, and that therefore the operation of the element to be printed as to size.

45 the camera will be very greatly simplified. 3. A photographic printing apparatus in- Reverting to the springs 21 attention is dieluding a source of light, a lens, means for rooted to the factthat each of these springs supporting-the element to be printed interis in efl'cctaplurality of springs represented mediate the lens and light, a sensitized by the loops 22 and 23, these springs being paper support, a cam for shifting the lens 50 connected by means of substantially rigid toward and away from the source of light, links so connected with the springs and with a second cam simultaneously shifting the the slides and guides as to separately and support to maintain the same continuously successively bring the springs into operaat the focal point of the lens throughout tion to, provide a movement for the slide. its travel from a desired maxlmum enlarge- Such structureis of considerable importance ment focus to a desired minimum reduction in cameras where a slide movement in one focus, and a common operating element for direction is necessary since it eliminates, both of said cams, the ends of the working where substituted for springs, a variation faces of said cams being constructed to conin the tension applied to the slide, and where stitute stops limiting the rotation of the 60 substituted for weights, the cumbersome ac cams.

ccssories necessary. It will furthermore be 4. In photographlc printing apparatus and obvious that the" structural details hereinin com ination spaced palrs of spaced slide before set forth are capable of some change guides, a slide operating intermediate each and modification without materially departpair of guides, a lens mounted upon one of ing from the spirit of my invention and I said slides, aneasel mounted upon the other of said slides, a shaft rotatably mounted means for simultaneously rotating: the cams.

transversely of the pairs of guides, a pair and means for limitin the rotation of the of earns secured thereto and each having a cams in opposite directions. 1

working face, a contact member carried by In testimony whereof I hereunto nfiix each slide, means engaging the slides and my signature.

maintaining the Contact members thereof in engagement with the respective cams, CHARLES A. LAKE. 

